Minisode - Kindred Spirits

[Last City, Tower, East Wing]

"-Thanks again, Amanda!" Taka waved toward the mechanic while trudging down the staircase and passing by Dead Orbit. She had some time off after her last mission on Mars, the scorching desert sands and plasma burns were a pain but no longer. Since her roommate was away with her fireteam and her other friends were off on their own jobs, she had little to do but make her way down beneath Future War Cult to where all Guardians hang around to watch Crucible Matches

No one really had a name for the cargo ship that was discontinued in the back of the hanger, instead, everyone called it whatever they thought sounded right. Being an unused ship, Shaxx had transformed the brig into a bar for Guardians to relax and enjoy Crucible streams, chat by a bar and make bets, or take the day to relax.

Proceeding down the small steps, Taka moved aside for a few Guardians leaving the ship, red spotlights illuminated the barge door leading into the brig, sofas, and chairs off to the sides with screens displaying matches or news reports, a V-Shaped bar was vacant, but a small, rectangular list scrolled through upcoming matches, while another displayed the pool for the largest bets.

"Hmm... not many Guardians here today, though there's some in the back." Taka decided to take a closer look at the two Guardians who seemed to be in the middle of talking with someone sitting down, though Taka couldn't quite make the person out, but their collective voices traveled far

"-the matter, love? Cat got your tongue?" One sounded rather snarky and looked to be a Warlock decked out in Crucible armor, alongside his matching Hunter, who stood with his arms crossed

"Not particularly, but you seem to think so," She stopped moving toward the elevated section of the bar, recognizing the smug, tomboyish tone anywhere. Standing just at the edge of the wall segregating the two sections, Taka spotted her Fireteam leader in casual clothing, Dimitri, though she looked unimpressed with her company. "Now, how many more times do I have to say this? Go. Away. Grif."

"Oh? So does that mean I get to keep you company?" The Hunter replied, and that earned an eye roll from Dimitri, the girl pinching her nose

"Jesus Christ, it's like Eva all over again - Ahem, okay, let me try this," Dimitri stood up, crossing her arms with a scowl. "So help me, I will personally tie you both up and hang you from your balls for Cabal Wardogs to mangle your ugly mugs up while I pull up a chair and crack out the popcorn."

Taka restrained a smirk, knowing fully that CT would have lost it if she heard her speaking that way. The two didn't seem to take that all that well, seeing as the Hunter scoffed under his breath, while the Warlock took a daring step toward Dimitri, towering over the girl with... a very unnerving expression on his face.

"That fire in your eyes really is somethin', you know that? It makes me understand why so many want you," Taka felt something in her chest twist irregularly, a strange, foreign sensation caused her grip against the concrete wall to tighten considerably. "No one needs to know, just you and me, trust me, I'll make it worth your while?"

"Ehehehe, that might work on sleazy people, but unlike them, I have something they don't," Dimitri looked just as disgusted but hid it better than Taka did, a swirling storm bubbling inside her. Dimitri leaned in, head tilted up toward the Warlock, Grif. "I can castrate you and your spineless twat here before you had a chance to continue your little wet dream."

"Tsk-!" Grif didn't take that too kindly, his hand grabbing ahold of Dimitri's wrist tightly without her realizing, but that didn't phase her, simply making the Hunter stand her ground while the Hunter stood back, finally noticing Taka as she stepped into view of him and Dimitri, her focus broken. "You little brat, I wasn't a-"

"Let. Go. Of. Her. Now." Taka's hand twisted Grif's off of the star-stricken Dimitri, catching Grif by surprise by how strong the Titan's handle on him was, the muscles in his arm were completely paralyzed by a tingling sensation, especially when he gazed toward Taka's eyes, no tranquility or warmth. They were cold, dead onyx orbs pierced his own with a frightening chill, her grip straining against his bone's reluctance to budge. "Leave, or you'll lose more than an arm, sir."

"Grif... Grif! Forget it!" The Hunter tapped his friend's arm quickly as if to avoid Taka all together. The two didn't budge, with Dimitri standing back with a strange look on her face, eyebrow raised at Taka's sudden change in atmosphere, she'd be lying if said it wasn't rather exciting to see

"...Forget it," Grif yanked his arm away, Taka continuing to glare until the two left the ship itself, neither of the two looking back while Taka breathed heavily, running a hand through her bangs before turning to the wide grin of her friend, the girl falling back onto one of the sofa's with a small applause

"That was... awesome!" Dimitri squealed, laughing a little. "Did you see his face? He was like, 'Yeah, that's me, you are probably wondering how I got here', and I half expected you to knock his teeth in!"

"Dimitri, you were... he was...!" Taka could barely formulate a sentence, realizing the sensation of holding Grif by the wrist had excited her, the sheer thrill was infectious, but also a cold reminder she wished never occurred. "Still, are you okay? What was that all about?"

"You mean his, ahem, 'hints', didn't give a picture?" Dimitri's sarcasm did little to sway the worry on Taka's face, but she paid it no mind. "Eh, just another idiot to the pile - but I'm impressed, you finally showed off some of that fire." Dimitri was smiling, her arms behind her head with a sly smile. Taka, on the other hand, tilted her head, perplexed

"'Fire'?" Taka knew what she meant, but not how that applied to now, as if needing to spell it out, Dimitri wiggled a finger in her direction

"How you talked down to them clowns, you had some serious Titan rage etched into your voice, not bad." This answer brought about something Dimitri never expected. Instead of some mature retort from the Titan, she saw her avert her gaze, an expression of shame spliced with a small tinge of red on her cheeks. "W-wait..."

"I hate it when I do that, you know? Lording my superiority over others like I'm somehow better than them," Taka sighed sadly, sitting down opposite Dimitri, who looked ready to spout off an apology with how her posture straightened out. Taka smiled a little, it was sweet of her. "No-No, it's okay, you didn't know that so it was natural to assume you'd figure it out."

"I-I know, but..." Dimitri closed her mouth, humming angrily at herself for doing this. Taka was only trying to help, so she swallowed her pride and stared back at her teammate. "Look, sorry, I should thank you for getting those guys off my case."

"Why were they trying to... you know... ask you to do 'that'?" The rather inappropriate proposal they spouted off made Taka disgusted, seeing her friend be treated like that. Suddenly, a fist tapped lightly to her forehead, making her jump back a bit

Dimitri was still smiling wickedly. "Don't be mad, Guardians like that come-and-go, most just give up and stick to what they know, rinse and repeat." She sat back, eyeing the ceiling above her. "Day-after-day and by now I don't really care what they say or do, it doesn't matter, why would it?"

"That's a rather toxic way of viewing your situation..." Taka murmured, realizing now why Dimitri was always so reserved when it came to being emotional, say for the time when she asked Ceres about Zane going to Venus weeks ago, that made it clear she wasn't a person who wore her heart on her sleeve. "Your expression says it all, you've been taunted and insulted for so long that like your brother, you're used to it-"

Dimitri visibly twitched at that.

"Strength is nothing but tolerance, Dimi, just resistance to accumulated stress. Our bodies have interesting ways of showing us when we've reached our limits. Anger, sadness, irritation, they're all just flares in the sky, but Dimi you... you've already tolerated so very much you can't even read the signs anymore."

"That's why you can sit here and just chat like nothing at all has occurred." Taka looked to her friend with worry, not pity as before, but genuine concern over her well-being. Reaching over the gap, Taka's hand rested on Dimitri's, making the Hunter twitch again with a perplexed expression. "I told you before if you ever do want to say something, just say it, I'll be here to listen."

There was reluctance in Dimitri's facial features, a large part of her mind scolded her for thinking that would be alright, to dump her problems, her isolation onto Taka like some crutch, it wasn't fair on her, and Dimitri knew herself she was okay, she had gotten used to it... right?

Another part of her, a small, almost insignificant piece of her wanted otherwise. To finally speak out, to let out her frustrations to someone who wasn't just another Guardian or enemy, but a real, genuine friend. Ceres gave that to her, she had friends, a fireteam of all things, and her brother was happy - well happier - with his own group.

"...You make it sound so easy... to... try and say the things I know..." Dimitri was slow, her voice unusually soft and anxious, hiding her gaze under her bangs. "...You and Ceres can sit and talk about this stuff... but... atleast you're not hiding yourself."

Taka felt a little worried, asking her something so personal out of the blue, but she couldn't just allow this to continue, not if there was some way of making it better, just like how CT taught her.

"For a long time I... felt like this copy of everyone... I was a Hunter of the Vanguard, a new girl, I had my connection to the Void which was the only thing that made me unique - whoop de doo -... I never really got along with fireteams, I always stuck to my own gut, most hated a new Guardian that took their own route without orders, mainly because I didn't trust anyone but myself and Ray."

"Hmm." Taka dared not to speak now, nor make any sign of surprise or reason for her to stop talking

A small, ghostly smile graced her lips under her bangs. "Then Shaxx offered my skills up to the Crucible, and... I felt complete. I had a place where it was every Guardian for themselves, I had a team but most strived for selfish glory, while I just... went through the motions, but my movements, how I felt, the tingling sensation of a close match, the bitter taste of defeat, the sheer joy of winning, it made me feel I had found my place."

"Zane's appearance did little to change that, only add more to the life I had found myself addicted to, it came with allies, enemies, as you've seen, and... after the Vault... I was met with anger, hatred, sorrow, that only made me stronger, and their stings turned numb, I... went numb." Her fingers dug into her thigh. "I... I... was afraid of doing the same to Zane, I almost did if not for the things Shadis told me."

"What was that?" Taka finally spoke again, her throat dry all of a sudden

"He told me, you can be whoever you strive to be, good, bad, Human or Guardian. But if you're lost or can't find a reason to continue, take a step back and see all that you have lost, and all that you have left," Those words resounded in Dimitri's mind constantly, doubts and illogical decisions weren't so fuzzy anymore, Taka seemed to agree, her own, her hand lifting Dimitri's chin, their eyes meeting once again. "Huh?"

"I think I understand, this is something you've known for a while, isn't it?" Dimitri nodded once solemnly, so Taka stepped up and moved in beside Dimitri, the girl stiffening a little from how close they were. "I never knew Shadis, but I can see the impact he's had on you, so please, let me be there for you too, whenever you need someone to vent out your frustrations to, I'll be here."

"...Why... why would you want this?" Dimitri shook her head, finding no room left on the couch to move away from Taka, making her cheeks burn a little from the sensitive topic and how vulnerable she's made herself, how could she be so stupid? "I'm just a stupid, headstrong, violence-loving Guardian. So why do you keep doing this? Being near me?"

It was her turn to share, even if only a bit. "The same reason you chose to confide in me, I've made mistakes in my past I'm not proud of, and someone paid the price for me," Taka shook her head, hand resting on Dimitri's shoulder. "I'm fortunate to have met Ceres because then I'd have never found a friend who understands the pain of regret and the difficulty of moving on, so I guess I can confide in you, even if just a bit."

That tipped Dimitri over the line. A warmer, feminine smile gracing her lips as she reached over and wrapped an arm around Taka, holding her softly with a shaky breath, catching the Titan off guard a little, but she quickly returned the embrace, feeling a heavy burden lift from her own shoulders. The two didn't speak, nor did they move for a while, finding the space around them to be just as peaceful.

Under locks of silky-white hair, rose a hushed voice. "...Thank you..."

Resting between strands of blue and against the Hunter's shoulder came another. "...And to you, Dimi..."

To Be Continued...


A small, sweet story between Taka and Dimitri, these two are awesome how they contrast, but also how they don't in other areas. I hope you enjoyed, seeya in the next chapter!